14th Annual EDiNEB Conference
PREPARING BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS FOR THE CHANGING GLOBAL WORKPLACE

June 20-22, 2007
Renaissance Penta Hotel Vienna, Austria

Deadline for abstract submission is February 25, 2007

Call for Papers & Conference Announcement

14th Annual EDiNEB International Conference
http://www.EDINEB.net/

PREPARING BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS FOR THE CHANGING GLOBAL WORKPLACE

Balanced Use of Professional Competencies and Technology

The 2007 Vienna Conference brings together Business Educators, Academics, and Professionals in the fields of Education, HR, Training and Development to exchange ideas and knowledge about innovative learning practices in business education and training for business change. The 2007 conference addresses the issue of how we can bridge the learning needs in business schools and the workplace. A compelling challenge is how business managers can make a balanced use of digital tools and professional competencies to improve business performance. While technology provides professionals with new tools for increased performance, professionals are also faced with the challenge of communicating and managing effectively in a virtual world. In preparing business graduates, business schools face the challenge on how digital tools can be applied in business education to improve learning. Just as technology skills are not the only solution for business professionals, digital tools are not the sole solution for designing learning platforms for students.

The 2007 EDINEB conference is organized around two major questions. 1) How business managers can apply digital tools to strengthen professional competencies and improve business performance? 2) How can we better prepare our students - the Net Generation - for the realities of the global business world?

1. Balanced Use of Professional Competencies and Technology

The continuous development of new products, services or processes all over the world demand change for almost any organization whether operating on a global or local scale. The proliferating use of digital technology has certainly become part of successful business models. Business performance is constantly improved through the use of information technology. However, learning is a human activity that requires attention to social and cognitive processes that are shaped by technology and the work environment. We know that E-learning allows business to develop new learning platforms for employees to leverage learning. It is for sure that technology improves distribution of knowledge within companies. It is indeed an issue how we can place training at the center of an organization’s strategy through the application of new e-learning tools. But how can managers make a balanced use of technology and professional competencies in the changing workplace?

2. Preparing Students For The Realities Of The Global Business World

What is new about the so-called “new learning tools” that it will indeed empower the Net Generation? Technological innovations play a growing role in the design of Business education. But older digital technologies never kept their promises. Who wants to be trained by “the Learning Machines” from the 50s, or “Computer-Based Instruction” from the 70s, or Knowledge Management Systems as developed in the 90s? Yet, those technologies were introduced in many curricula. The space of possibilities offered by technology seems not sufficiently explored, nor do we know enough about the interplay between technology and education. Clearly we need to question whether new tools have become part of old pedagogies or whether new pedagogies are necessary for using new technologies in education. Because technology is constantly changing we can not avoid questioning how educators can select technologies that support the learning needs of the new student generation.

We know that future classrooms call for more flexibility, development of digital literacy skills, and incorporation of technology in design of collaborative learning methods. It is for sure that new technologies challenge our current views on curriculum design, selection of learning methods, admission and assessment. Yet, the question remains how learning theories can provide guidelines for change in business education.

Conference Themes

  • Interpersonal and professional competencies for the changing workplace
  • Technology & Development of Learning Strategies
  • Train the Trainer & Staff Development Programs
  • Best Practices in Good Technology for Training & Education
  • The Interactive Classroom & Interactive Technology
  • Enhanced Technology & Business School’s Management
  • Convergence between Libraries, Learning Resources & Learning Methods
  • How can Teachers Learn from Youth? Involving Students in the Design of Education and Training
  • Simulations and Games in Education and Training
  • Net Generation, Culture and Competence Development in a Digital World.
  • Instructional Design, Assessment & Technology

Take-aways from our conference

The 14th Annual EDiNEB conference provides multiple platforms for knowledge exchange. The conference schedule contains different tracks for participants interested in best practices, or participants searching for evidence-based reform in Training and Business Education. We invite researchers to submit their work, but also presenters for workshops and discussion rounds. Our past conferences are known for the spirit and passion that participants share. We will provide space and opportunity for informal gatherings and meetings with participants and key-note speakers.

Papers, workshop deliverables and discussion outcomes will be posted at our EDiNEB website. Selected papers will be published in our new book series initiative “Advances in Business Education and Training.”

Guidelines for abstract submissions

Please submit your abstracts/proposals via our website www.edineb.net. Our homepage contains detailed instructions about abstract formats. Deadline for abstract submission is February 25, 2007.

Ellen.nelissen@educ.unimaas.nl

Mrs. Ellen Nelissen, EDiNEB Network, Maastricht University
PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Tel: ++31 43 3883770 fax: ++31 43 3884801


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